Neutrons and X-rays, comparative studies with Drosophila melanogaster. 1. The viability and fertility of induced autosomal translocations.
Studies on the genetic effects of neutrons and X-rays have produced evidence that may be interpreted as indicating that neutrons induce clusters of closely linked genetic changes. According to this interpretation, it is to be expected that neutron-induced translocations will have a higher rate of associated recessive lethality, compared with translocations induced by low-LET radiation such as X-rays. The experiment reported here was designed to test whether this expectation is fulfilled. The dose--frequency response with neutrons for the induction of autosomal translocation was established by exposing males from the Oregon-K stock and then sampling treated mature sperm. From the data obtained, it was estimated that 10 Gy neutrons should induce about the same frequency of autosomal translocations as 27 Gy X-rays. These 2 doses were used to induce translocations in the spermatozoa of males carrying lethal-free autosomes, derived from the Oregon-K stock. Induced translocations were tested for homozygous viability and fertility. When these criteria were used, no qualitative difference was detected between the translocations induced by neutrons and X-rays.
D000818:Animals; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000528:radiation effects*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005298:Fertility / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D005808:Genes, Recessive; D008297:Male; D009502:Neutrons; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D014965:X-Rays